Game controller
A DualShock 4 or DualSense touchpad works like a laptop trackpad. On any controller, hold Menu for a moment to turn the sticks into a mouse (A, B and X click, the D-pad scrolls). Otherwise, buttons map to your games.
✦tvOS 18+ · Mac · Windows · Linux hosts
Remote desktop on Apple TV Your computer, on the biggest screen in the house.
Yes — Remio Remote Desktop has a native Apple TV app (tvOS 18 or later) that shows your Mac, Windows PC or Linux computer on the TV. Control it with the Siri Remote as a trackpad, or with your iPhone, a game controller or a Bluetooth keyboard. Install the free Remio Host on the computer, open Remio on the Apple TV, and type the Device ID and six-digit PIN the host shows — no camera or QR scan needed.
✦The options
Is there a remote desktop app for Apple TV?
Yes, and more than one. Remio, Remote Buddy Display, Steam Link, Moonlight and AnyDesk each ship an Apple TV app, built for different jobs.
| App | Needs on the computer | Built around | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| Remio Remote Desktop | tvOS 18+; Remio Host on Mac, Windows or Linux | General desktop control | Free to use; no account required |
| Remote Buddy Display | tvOS 14.2+; Remote Buddy app on a Mac (macOS 10.13+), Mac only | Mirroring a Mac; remote control of Mac apps | TV app free; Remote Buddy paid after a free trial |
| Steam Link | tvOS 11.0+; Steam on a Windows, Mac or Linux computer, same network | Games from your Steam library | Free |
| Moonlight | tvOS 12.0+; Sunshine or NVIDIA GeForce Experience on a PC, local network | Game streaming; open source | Free |
| AnyDesk | tvOS 15.6+ (App Store); AnyDesk on the computer | Remote access and support | App free; free for personal use |
Facts last reviewed 2026-10-05 from each app’s App Store listing and the vendor’s site. TeamViewer, Parsec, Chrome Remote Desktop, Windows App and RustDesk list no Apple TV app, and Jump Desktop’s listing shows none — see Remio vs Jump Desktop.
Where others are ahead: Remote Buddy Display is free on the TV and long established for Mac media apps; Steam Link and Moonlight list 4K at up to 120 FPS and HDR for games (Remio’s HDR doesn’t reach Apple TV); AnyDesk is mature and general-purpose. Remio’s angle: one Siri Remote–first app for Mac, Windows and Linux, with no Steam or game server in between.
✦Siri Remote
How do I control a computer with the Siri Remote?
The touchpad works like a laptop trackpad. A short built-in tutorial teaches the gestures the first time you connect.
| Siri Remote | What it does |
|---|---|
| Swipe the touchpad | Moves the pointer |
| Tap | Click |
| Double-tap | Double-click |
| Hold, then slide | Drag |
| Press and hold still, then lift | Right-click |
| Swipe along the right edge | Scrolls up and down (the bottom edge scrolls sideways) |
| Menu button | Opens or closes Remio’s session controls |
| Play/Pause button | Shows the keyboard |
✦Other inputs
Can I use a game controller or keyboard instead?
Yes. The Siri Remote is the default, not the only way in.
Bluetooth keyboard
Type straight into your computer with a Bluetooth keyboard, or press Play/Pause to open the Apple TV text box.
iPhone as the remote
Open Remote from Control Center on your iPhone for a bigger trackpad.
✦Setup
How do I set up Remio on Apple TV?
You need an Apple TV on tvOS 18 or later and Remio Host on a Mac, Windows PC or Linux computer.
Install Remio Host
Get it from the download page, then open Connect to see the Device ID and six-digit PIN.
Install Remio on Apple TV
Search the App Store for Remio. Choose Continue as guest to skip signing in.
Type the code
Enter the Device ID (like XXXX-XXXX) and the PIN. Already paired on your iPhone or Mac? Sign in with the same account and the computer appears, no code needed.
Take control
Choose your computer. A short tutorial shows the gestures; press Menu any time for the session controls.
On a Mac running Remio Host 3.0.0 or later, the PIN expires after five minutes and replaces itself. The getting-started guide covers every screen.
✦Away from the desk
Can I use a MacBook with the lid closed?
Yes, on a MacBook with Apple silicon. Turn on “Keep awake with lid closed” once in Remio Host and the MacBook stays reachable with the lid shut — no dummy HDMI plug — until it runs hot or hits your low-battery cutoff. Closing the lid usually locks the Mac; the guide explains what to expect.
✦Honest limits
What can’t Remio do on Apple TV?
What Apple TV can’t do, and what we haven’t measured.
- HDR
- Remio’s HDR goes from a Mac with Apple silicon to HDR screens on iPhone, iPad, Mac and Android — not to Apple TV yet.
- Files and clipboard
- Apple TV has no user file system or clipboard, so Remio there doesn’t transfer files or sync the clipboard.
- Protected video
- Netflix, Apple TV+ and other copy-protected video usually show as a black box when a Mac or Windows screen is captured. Watch them on the Apple TV itself.
- Speed figures
- We haven’t published an Apple TV latency measurement, so we quote none. Video is decoded in hardware on the Apple TV (H.265, H.264 fallback); your TV’s own picture processing sits outside Remio’s pipeline.
✦Questions
Remote desktop on Apple TV: common questions
The questions people ask before trying it.
Is there a remote desktop app for Apple TV?
Yes. Remio, Remote Buddy Display, Steam Link, Moonlight and AnyDesk each have an Apple TV app. Remio Remote Desktop shows a Mac, Windows PC or Linux computer on the TV, controlled with the Siri Remote; Remote Buddy Display needs a Mac; Moonlight and Steam Link are built for streaming games from a PC.
Can I control my Mac or Windows PC from my Apple TV?
Yes. Install Remio Host on the computer, open Remio on the Apple TV, pair with the Device ID and six-digit PIN, and its screen appears on the TV with the Siri Remote as a trackpad. Remio Host runs on macOS, Windows and Linux; Remote Buddy Display handles Macs only.
Can I use my Siri Remote to control a computer?
Yes. In Remio the touchpad acts like a laptop trackpad: swipe to move the pointer, tap to click, double-tap to double-click, hold and slide to drag, hold still then lift to right-click, and swipe the right edge to scroll. Menu opens the session controls and Play/Pause opens the keyboard.
How do I pair my Apple TV with my computer without a camera?
Apple TV has no camera, so there is no QR scan. Open Remio Host, go to Connect, and type the Device ID and six-digit PIN into Remio on the Apple TV. No account is needed: choose Continue as guest. Or sign in with the account you use on your iPhone or Mac, and computers you already paired appear with no code.
Can I use a game controller or keyboard to control my computer from Apple TV?
Yes. A Bluetooth keyboard types straight into your computer; without one, Play/Pause opens the Apple TV text box. A DualShock 4 or DualSense touchpad works like a laptop trackpad; on any controller, holding Menu turns the sticks into a mouse. Otherwise buttons map to your games.
Is Remio free on Apple TV?
The Apple TV app is free to use, with no time limit. Remio Pro is an optional subscription ($1.99 a month with a 7-day free trial) bought in the app on iPhone, iPad, Mac or Android. Everything that was free before Remio Pro stays free — forever.
What is Remote Buddy Display, and how is Remio different?
Remote Buddy Display is a free Apple TV app from IOSPIRIT that mirrors a Mac’s screen and turns the Siri Remote into a trackpad, remote and keyboard. It needs the paid Remote Buddy app on a Mac and works with Macs only; Remio also reaches Windows and Linux.
Do TeamViewer, Parsec, Chrome Remote Desktop, Jump Desktop, Windows App or RustDesk have an Apple TV app?
Not according to their own pages as of October 2026. TeamViewer, Parsec, Chrome Remote Desktop, Windows App and RustDesk list no tvOS client, and Jump Desktop’s listing shows none. See Remio vs Jump Desktop.
Put your computer on the biggest screen in the house.
Install the free Remio Host, install Remio on your Apple TV, and type the Device ID and PIN once.
Free to useNo account requiredmacOS · Windows · Linux hosts